I went for a jog on my regular route the other day and I noticed that there was a lot more garbage along the path than I had noticed before. Most of the litter consisted of empty aluminum cans, glass bottles, and Styrofoam containers which were likely thrown there by construction workers working on a nearby development after their lunch breaks. I thought that perhaps it may be a good idea for the community to have a couple of garbage cans along the road but that it is a newly developed area so such services would naturally take long to introduce. And then I thought, why shift the blame on the country itself when it’s the people that are thoughtlessly throwing garbage on these clean streets. They really must not love where they live and not see the beauty of their island if it is so easy for them to litter without thinking twice.

When I was young I used to go on a lot of road trips with my parents and there wasn’t one occasion where we did not have a bag somewhere in the car to dispose of our waste. Upon arriving at our destination or stopping in between to stretch our legs we would then properly dispose of our waste in a trash bin, naturally. But, this does not seem so natural for the average person living in Curacao. In Curacao, annual garbage clean-ups have been organized by volunteers, residents and schools for the last couple of decades in the hopes of sending a message to the public about maintaining a clean and healthy island. However, in the following days of the clean ups it was always evident that the message was not even considered since people continued with their bad habit of littering. Sadly, they continuously fail to ever notice that their fellow citizens are making an effort to clean up their island.

In most parts of the world today it is simply not acceptable to throw garbage on the streets and in some places littering is an offence, and rightfully so. In these places people understand the value of their environment and recognize that it is harmful to other living things as well as to humans. The environment is considered our home, not a landfill. Curacao is at least 20 years behind when it comes to caring about the environment and nature and this really takes away from all the positive aspects that Curacao has to offer. Environmental education is one of the most important ways to spread awareness about the significance of the environment, not only to teachers and students, but to all of the public. As this type of education is transmitted into the education system over time, there will be a sharp change in the attitudes and feelings of the public, both young and old, towards the environment and nature. But, people have to first be open to the idea of individually changing their bad habits and recognizing that they can make a difference in their communities.

I recently had the pleasure of speaking with Mr. Timo Brouwer who is an avid supporter of the environment here in Curacao and whose main goal is to spread environmental awareness to as many people as he can through education and “leading by example”. He has already spoken to a large group of students at the International School of Curacao and educated many of the teachers at Albert Schweitzer School about the importance of recycling and the environment. He believes in the “leading by example” system in which the change and vision must come from the private sector so it can be transmitted to a government level. This way all sectors can come together in order to make Curacao a clean and healthy island for now and for the future. Timo has been in the recycling business here in Curacao for several years and has recently began recycling aluminum in Curacao through his business Green Force, which specifically recycles used beverage containers (UBCs) such as beer, iced tea and soda cans that contribute to a lot of the waste on the island.

In places like the Netherlands, Canada and the US, which have large populations compared to Curacao, almost all of their aluminum waste is being recycled so it does not go to landfills. In Curacao, it is just the opposite. It takes 95% more energy to make aluminum out of prime material than recycling used aluminum material. While in Europe and North America between 91% to 97% of the aluminum is being recycled, places like Curacao help bring the balance down to what it is now, at a level where only 50% of worldwide aluminum is being recycled. For the other 50% new ore must be mined.

Timo explains that when aluminum is not recycled, there becomes a need for new aluminum material as new products are made. Businesses then seek out areas where there is an abundance of bauxite, an aluminum ore which is used to make aluminum. In most instances these areas consist of forests and vast ecosystems which are destroyed in order to mine bauxite. This causes loss of habitat, displacement of many species, release of large amounts carbon dioxide emissions from burning forests and the transportation of the ore, which contributes to global warming and displaces indigenous human populations in countries such as Peru. In addition, the disturbance of the land from mining causes the ground soil to erode making the ground unstable for existing and new growth of vegetation and causes desertification or extreme deterioration of land. A good example of the desertification process can be found in Spain, where forest fires and erosion have made the land very arid. The environment and nature have to go through all of this so that we can have something to drink our soda pop out of. The least we can do is to recycle our aluminum waste so that other living species, as well as ours, don’t have to suffer. This is why Timo believes that recycling aluminum is so important. And it truly is important.

Green Force gives residents and businesses in Curacao the ability to recycle their aluminum waste and ensures that the aluminum will end up in the international recycling stream where it will be reused to make new products. Its uniquely designed bins can be rented for a low cost of 20 Nafl/month (includes 2 pick-ups/month) and can also be sponsored by businesses, which in turn get exposure from publicity on the bins. It is a great system that the private sector can offer for such a good cause. If every company in Curacao sponsored at least one bin, the vast majority of aluminum could be captured for recycling. Thus, great efforts like Green Force can be sustainable and exist for many more years.

As more and more people begin to recycle aluminum, a trend will emerge on the island that promotes recycling as well as keeping trash off of the streets of Curacao. This can have a positive effect on the overall vibe on the island and, in turn, attract more tourists to the island since they themselves live in countries that care about recycling and the environment. Recycling aluminum will reduce the amount of waste that goes to the landfill so businesses will no longer need to invest so much of their capital in waste disposal costs. In addition, the fast-growing landfill here in Curacao will become more manageable as waste streams decrease, therefore prolonging the useful life of it. As people start to accept recycling into their lives this will help the recycling industry expand to other opportunities such as recycling plastic, batteries, rubber, paper and glass which will not only reduce waste further but also create jobs on the island and contribute even more to the reduction of global warming. Most products that are sold and used in Curacao are imported, which cost taxpayers and the government a lot of money. Recycling can offer the ability for Curacao to export certain products which can have a very positive effect on its economy and help to transcend the island from only an importing island to both an importing and exporting island. Overall, there are absolutely no negatives from creating a healthier environment for Curacao and the people of Curacao. It is only a matter of time before more and more people “join the force”, as Timo states, to make Curacao a clean and healthy island for the long-term.

For more information on how you can recycle your aluminum waste check out Green Force’s website.

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